Peter Lim "has bought" La Liga side Valencia, according to Julián Montoro of SUPERDEPORTE. Sources within Lim's Meriton Holdings "confirmed that paperwork confirming agreement on all points of dissension has finally arrived and the transaction is complete." After receiving a visit from Valencia President Amadeo Salvo and "hearing the fan base in the streets of Valencia," the Singapore businessman "stepped forward with the firm intention of ending the uncertainty and reaching the long awaited and very complicated agreement" with Valencia lender Bankia. At the "last minute," after hours of negotiations, "Meriton sent the latest proposal, which again ceded to some of the bank's demands, to Bankia." The objective was to "sign a definitive contract to reflect the agreement that both parties reached on June 6." The "last offer from Lim arrived in Madrid marked urgent," because Lim's intention was "to not wait another day -- to sign the document Thursday night." The matter "could have been complicated again had no agreement been reached by Friday, as everything would have been suspended until at least Monday." Nearly "eight months after Meriton's first contact with Bankia to buy Valencia, it was done on Thursday." Lim "called the transaction, which will not be officially announced until it is signed, official" (SUPERDEPORTE, 8/14).

FANS VOICED CONCERNS: In Valencia, Andrés García reported before the news of the agreement, Valencia fans "took to the streets and raised their voices against Bankia, tired of the bank not resolving the sale." Around 2,000 people "clamored for the future" of the club around the Mestalla stadium and later marched "toward the center of the city and the headquarters of Bankia." National Police offers "stopped the fans with police cordons." The "true purpose of the march was to peacefully show indignation with the bank." On Twitter and social media, #domingonosvemosenmestalla was a trending topic (SUPERDEPORTE, 8/14).

A-League club Central Coast Mariners' future "remains shrouded in confusion," despite owner Mike Charlesworth saying "only 24 hours ago that he does not want to sell his majority stake," according to Tom Smithies of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. Multiple sources indicated that Charlesworth, "having recently relocated" back to the U.K., "recently made clear his intention to sell the club." Charlesworth has held talks with clubs in England about "buying a stake in the Mariners, but privately said his preference was to sell his entire stake." The telecom millionaire has "only owned the club outright for 15 months but has spoken of his unhappiness at losing money." On Wednesday, he "reiterated his comments," insisting that he was "only seeking further minority shareholders in the football club, and also investors in the Mariners' Centre of Excellence development at Tuggerah." In terms of the football club, "which is run as a separate business," Charlesworth said, "I am inviting investment but have every intention of staying a part of this wonderful little club and as chairman and majority owner." Meanwhile "question marks remain over where" the Mariners will host Melbourne Victory on Dec. 5. Central Coast had "intended to play the game at North Sydney Oval," but broadcaster Fox Sports is "understood to have raised concerns about the quality of floodlighting and its effect on the broadcast." If the ground is "not upgraded in time, one option is to play the game at Brookvale in Manly" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 8/14).